The neurophysiological correlates of religious chanting

Gao, Junling; Leung, Hang Kin; Wu, Bian; Skouras, Stavros; Sik, Hin Hung

doi:10.1038/s41598-019-40200-w

Cited by 48 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 44 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…These early pre‐clinical studies have yielded conflicting results to date, with results likely hampered by the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of these compounds, as optimum administration routes, dosages and translatability from animal to human models are still being investigated . Effects on disease activity in patients with IBD using vagal tone modulation by other means such as controlled slow deep breathing, chanting meditation and prescribed exercise programs are yet to be reported.…”

Section: Therapeutic Modulation Of Parasympathetic Tonementioning

confidence: 99%

Review article: the role of the autonomic nervous system in the pathogenesis and therapy of IBD

Mogilevski

Burgell

Aziz

et al. 2019

Aliment Pharmacol Ther

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Summary Background There is a growing body of evidence implicating a role for the brain‐gut axis in the pathogenesis of inflammation in patients with IBD. Aims To perform a narrative review of published literature regarding the association of the autonomic nervous system and intestinal inflammation and to describe the rationale for and emerging use of autonomic manipulation as a therapeutic agent Methods Current relevant literature was summarised and critically examined. Results There is substantial pre‐clinical and clinical evidence for a multifaceted anti‐inflammatory effect of the vagus at both systemic and local intestinal levels. It acts via acetylcholine‐mediated activation of α‐7‐acetylcholine receptors involving multiple cell types in innate and adaptive immunity and the enteric nervous system with subsequent protective influences on the intestinal barrier, inflammatory mechanisms and the microbiome. In patients with IBD, there is evidence for a sympatho‐vagal imbalance, functional enteric neuronal depletion and hyporeactivity of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis. Direct or transcutaneous vagal neuromodulation up‐regulates the cholinergic anti‐inflammatory pathway in pre‐clinical and clinical models with down‐regulation of systemic and local intestinal inflammation. This is supported by two small studies in Crohn's disease although remains to be investigated in ulcerative colitis. Conclusions Modulating the cholinergic anti‐inflammatory pathway influences inflammation both systemically and at a local intestinal level. It represents a potentially underutilised anti‐inflammatory therapeutic strategy. Given the likely pathogenic role of the autonomic nervous system in patients with IBD, vagal neuromodulation, an apparently safe and successful means of increasing vagal tone, warrants further clinical exploration.

show abstract

Section: Therapeutic Modulation Of Parasympathetic Tonementioning

confidence: 99%

Review article: the role of the autonomic nervous system in the pathogenesis and therapy of IBD

Mogilevski

Burgell

Aziz

et al. 2019

Aliment Pharmacol Ther

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Scientific researchers have identified the potential of religious mantra reciting to regulate physiological function and promote health [12][13][14][15][16][17] . It is suggested that Falun Gong exudes a powerful positive energy field that can act as a means of warding off illnesses and maintaining fitness 18,19 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Case Report: A 73-year-old suspected COVID-19 patient with severe dyspnea fully recovers after reciting nine true words from Falun Gong

Dong¹,

Trey²,

Hsu

2021

F1000Res

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: The most common severe symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are breathing difficulty and respiratory failure. Unfortunately, mortality of COVID-19 patients with severe breathing difficulties is high. Clinical finding and diagnosis: This report describes the case of a woman in her seventies, who could not taste anything except a metallic taste, had pains all over, low-grade fever, and who soon developed severe breathing difficulties in 15 days. At the time, her doctors described her as having suspected COVID-19 and advised her to self-quarantine at home. Interventions and outcomes: When the patient had her initial symptoms, her treating physician prescribed Tylenol which she took for 13 days. The patient initially felt better, but then developed severe fatigue, achiness within a week, and then severe breathing difficulties. The patient was sometimes unable to breathe and could not walk from her bed to the bathroom. She started feeling fearful of death after 15 days had lapsed. She then started to recite the nine Chinese characters "Fa-Lun Da-Fa Hao, Zhen-Shan-Ren Hao” daily. After she started reciting these nine true words (NTW) frequently and sincerely, the patient felt her lungs opened and she was able to breathe longer and deeper. Within three days of constantly reciting the NTW, her breathing returned to normal and all symptoms ceased. Conclusions: This suspected COVID-19 patient gained significant clinical benefits after sincerely reciting the nine-character true words from Falun Gong.

show abstract

“…Additionally, meditative chanting practices have been found to help individuals reduce distress and prevent emotional reactivity when confronted with negative stimuli ( Gao et al, 2017 ; Kiken & Shook, 2012 ). A recent study utilizing multi-modal electrophysiological and neuroimaging methods corroborated that meditative chanting practices may be more effective in alleviating specific neuropsychiatric symptoms, increasing the stability of cardiac function, and inducing distinctive psychotherapeutic effects, which exert positive stress-reducing sentiments and play a vital role in promoting spiritual bliss and emotional tranquility ( Gao et al, 2019 ). Considering these myriad benefits, mindful mantram chanting practice may provide another suitable alternative for individuals who are currently in confinement.…”

Section: Mindful Mantram Chanting Practicementioning

confidence: 98%

Mindfulness practice during COVID-19 crisis: Implications for confinement, physical inactivity, and sedentarism

Roychowdhury¹

2021

Asian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

COVID-19 pandemic has radically impacted and altered the lives of billions of people around the world. Due to strict government policies, most individuals now find themselves confined at home with limited movement permissible. Although these measures are enforced to help abate the rate of infection, such restrictions have huge implications for the psychophysiological health, lifestyle, and overall well-being of individuals. The COVID-19 confined circumstances, coupled with the gradually declining levels of physical activity and rising levels of sedentarism that is prevalent in the modern society, can have deleterious effect on the psychological, physical, and social health of individuals. This paper argues for essential alternative measures to be introduced that would not only assuage the detrimental effects of COVID-19 confinement, physical inactivity, and sedentarism in the short-term, but also promote psychophysiological health and well-being in the long-term. In particular, this paper recommends the practice of mindfulness as a viable option under the current circumstances. This paper further outlines the health benefits of mindfulness practice and illustrates two effective and efficient practices — mindful breathing and mantram chanting — that could be suitably utilized under the current altered and confined COVID-19 arrangement by individuals across the life span. Potential benefits, recommendations, and risks have also been addressed.

show abstract

The neurophysiological correlates of religious chanting

Cited by 48 publications

References 44 publications

Review article: the role of the autonomic nervous system in the pathogenesis and therapy of IBD

Review article: the role of the autonomic nervous system in the pathogenesis and therapy of IBD

Case Report: A 73-year-old suspected COVID-19 patient with severe dyspnea fully recovers after reciting nine true words from Falun Gong

Mindfulness practice during COVID-19 crisis: Implications for confinement, physical inactivity, and sedentarism

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About